Equipment-carrier.



No. 699,429. Patented nee. I9, |899.

c. P. Nunes.

EQUIPMENT CARRIER.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1899.)

(No Modal.)

NVENTUR, [HARLEENUTTER EN @my TQ/WTMTTYJ llnrrnn @rares PATnNr einen.

CHARLES P. NUTTER, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

EQUIPMENT-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Paten't No. 639,429, dated December 19, 1899. Application filed February 27, 1899. Serial No. 706,917. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- Beit known that I, CHARLES P. N UTTER, of Malden, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Equipment-Carriers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a speeication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of what, for a better name, I have chosen to designate as a soldiers carrier, said carrier being adapted to sustain from the shoulders substantially all the equipment needed by a soldier.

lt Will be understood that the adaptation of the load or equipment to be carried by the soldier vitally affects his marching endurance, and the weight of this equipment may be so distributed that it may be carried in one instance with ease andin anotherinstance with great hardship.

I have devised my improved carrier with the special `view of adapting it for use with the greatest ease by the soldier, and I have constructed my carrier to fulfil substantially the following conditions, viz: I have aimed to balance the distribution of the weight carried by the soldier and so applied the Weight that respiration need not be impeded and so that free access of air may be had at the back and chest, so that the carrier may be put on and taken off with facility.

I have provided a carrier adapted to a greater or less capacity, according to the requirement of the soldier, and I have aimed to gain compactness and durability, and by my construction access may be quickly had to any desired article of equipment.

In my improved carrier I retain a roll, its use in preference to a knapsack having been demonstrated not only because of the greater comfort, but because of the greater freedom permitted the soldier and the greater' carrying capacity; but herein I have supported this rollin an entirely novel manner-that is, I have supported the median line of the roll directly upon one shoulder, connecting it with a shoulder-strap at that shoulder, and have passed the roll across diagonally both the chest and back and have supported a part of the Weight of the roll from its free ends by means of a suitable strap sustained from the opposite shoulder, and this strap'may be lengthened or shortened, so as to take more mor less of the weight of the roll, and by shortening the strap the roll lnay be more or less bulged and kept from contact with the chest and back, se that said roll need touch the soldier only at one shoulder and hang supported between his body and arm at the opposite side.

The carrier herein to be described is composed of flexible strapping embracing both shoulders, so as to support not only a canteen and haversack, but also the roll containing the usual personal effects considered necessary for proper equipment of a soldier.

This carrier has been so devised that the Weight of the load to be carried is sustained, substantially, by and from both shoulders, and roll-straps connected with the Hexible strapping embracing the shoulders conne in place and sustain the roll. The parts of -the strapping which embrace the shoulder are connected across the back with an adjustable two-part strap, and, asherein shown, one shoulder-strap sustains at its top a roll-strap and a canteen-strap, the under side of said shoulderportion sustaining part of the weight of the haversack, while the opposite shoulder portion sustains at its lower side a carryingstrap, it being instrumental in supporting part of the weight of the roll, and said shoulder portion has, as herein shown, an integral extension, on which hangs the haversaok, so that both shoulders aid in sustaining the haversack, one shoulder being,r crossed by the roll, While the other shoulder is left unobstructed for a rifle to rest upon.

The particular features in which my invention consists will be hereinafter set forth, and specifically described at the end of this speeiiication.

Figure l shows a soldier with my improved carrier applied, the soldier being looked at from his side. Fig. 2 shows a rear or back view of the carrier, the roll being represented by dotted lines; and Fig. 3 shows the leftshoulder portion in. detail with the canteen detached. l

Referring to the drawings, A may be supposed to represent the body of a soldier, to which is to be applied my improved carrier.

My carrier is composed, essentially, of right and left shoulder portions a b, united across IOO the back by means of a two-part strap a bx, joined by any suitable adjusting device, as a buckle c. The shoulder portion a is crossed by a canteen-strap a2, its depending ends having any usual or suitable hooks or engaging devices a3 to properly hook into or support the canteen d or any other article or thing which it is desired to carry. This canteen-strap may be adjustable in any usual or suitable manner. The shoulder portion a has mounted upon it a roll-strap a4, having suitable. means, as a buckle a5, by whichl to open and close it and adjust it to the diameter of the roll e. The shoulder portion d is made up in two parts-viz., the part that rests directly upon the shoulder and an underlying part, as @r6- it being adapted to extend under, as herein shown, the left arm from the back up to the front of the shoulder, Where a suitable attaching device, as a7, shown as a D-ring, engages a suitable hook, as a8, suitably attached to that portion a depending at the front part of the shoulder. The part a6 of the shoulder portion a is also extended through, as herein shown, a loop or eyefof a strap f', adjustably connected by any usual or suitable means with a D or other ring f2, joined to the haversack f3 or any other equivalent article or thing which regulation requires that the soldier should carry. The shoulder portion b has, as herein shown, an extension b', represented as integral therewith, said extension being adjustably connected in any usual or suitable manner With a suitable D or other ring b2, also connected with the haversack or other article, as stated, so that said haversack or article is connected with and sustained by the straps f and h',f coming from the under side of the portion c, While h comes over from the top side of the shoulder portion l). The shoulder portion b has a forward extension b3, which is extended through a suitable loop or eye g of a roll-strap support g', the end of said shoulder portion b3 being represented as provided With a suitable buckle or equivalent device b4, which is attached to a short strap b5, forming part of the shoulder portion b. The support g' is adjustably connected by a buckle q2 or otherwise with a second rollstrap g3, provided with a buckle or equivalent device g4, by which said strap may be readily adapted to the diameter of the tWo ends of the roll.

I have herein represented the haversack as provided With the usual strap h, on Which is strung the handle of a dipper h'.

The roll e may be made of any usual or suitable material, and it may contain any articles which are considered necessary as a part of the equipment of a soldier. This roll when suitablywound into the proper shape and containing the desired or necessary articles, is laid, as herein shown, upon the left shoulder, and the strap a4 is buckled to it, confining the roll upon the shoulder portion a. The ends of the roll are then carried across the chest and back to the opposite side of the body and between it andthe opposite arm-herein the right arm-and the two ends of the roll are then embraced by the strap g3, and by adjusting the carrying-strap g' as to its length the strap g3 and the carrier may be made to sustain from the shoulder portion b more or less of the load of the roll, and, if desired, the carrying-strap g/ may be shortened, so as to cause the roll to bulge outwardly and remove it from contact both With the chest and back of the soldier, leaving the air free opportunity to circulate, affording free respiration, and reducing perspiration.

The Weight of the canteen, it Will be noticed, is supported Wholly and directly from one shoulder, and the Weight of the haversack is supported from both shoulders.

A tightly-Wound roll may be kept in the position represented by simply the straps a4, g3, and g and Without the employment of any other support, the Weight of Which has to be carried by the soldier.

Instead of the buckles, hooks, and rings shown I may use any other usual or suitable equivalent devices by which the strapping may be lengthened or shortened, united together, or separated.

I have so far described the carrier as applicable to the use of soldiers; but it will be obvious that the same may be used by any one Who has a load to carry on the road or by any other pedestrians.

I have herein usedthe Word strap7 That Word applies usually to leather; but herein the term is not intended to be limited in all instances to leather, as I may use instead any other suitable flexible material-as, for in stance, the so called carrying-strap g' might be a rope or a rod and yet come Within the scope of my invention, so long as pro vision is made for suitable adjustment of the roll-strap g3 With relation thereto.

I have herein shown the roll-embracingstrap a4 as connected With the shoulder-embracing portion a at its top, so that said strap a4 stands substantially on the top ot' the shoulder; but this invention would not be departed from if the said strap were moved more or less to the front or the rear, so long as it is supported and carried by the shoulder portion.

The cartridge-belt is shown at m.

The strip f is shown as provided with a hook n and the support g' With a second hook n. These hooks may be engaged With the cartridge belt, so that more or less of its Weight may be sustained from the shoulders.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A carrier, composed of connected shoulder-embracing portions, one of said shoulder portions having mounted upon it a roll-strap to hold a rollin place on the shoulder, the other IOO IOS

IIO

of said shoulder portions having attached to and depending from it substantially under the' armpit a carrying-support, and a rollstrap attached to said support, substantially as described.

2. In a carrier, a shoulder portion extended rearwardly and downwardly 'along the back to sustain one end of a haversack, a support attached to said shoulder portion at its under side, and a roll-embracing strap attached adjustably to said support, substantially as described.

3. In a carrier, shoulder-embracing portions adjustably connected together across the back, one of said' shoulder-em bracing portions having mounted upon it a roll-embracing strap to confine a roll in place, and a canteen-supporting strap connected to the same shoulder-embracin g portion, substantially as described.

4. In a carrier, shoulder-embracing portions adjustably connected together across the back one of said shoulder-embracing portions having mounted upon it at its top a strap to embrace a roll, and a strap depending from the under side of said shoulder-embracing portion and adapted to be connected with and support a haversack, substantially as described.

5. A carrier composed of connected shoulder, portions, one of said portions having secured to it a roll-embracing strap, whereby said roll may be supported upon said shoulder portions, and a second roll-embracing strap adj ustably connected with and suspended from the under side of the opposite shoulder-embracin g strap whereby by adjustment of said roll-supporting strap more or less of the weight ofthe roll between the shoulder upon which it is supported in its free ends may be distributed upon the opposite shoulder, substantially as described.

6. A carrier composed of connected. shoulder-embracing portions, one of said shoulderembracing portions having mounted upon it a roll-strap, and sustaining also a canteensupporting strap, the other of said shoulderembracing portions having suspended from it at a point under the armpit a carrying-support to which is attached a roll-embracing strap, anda strap to support a haversack, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. NUTTER.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY'i l EDITH M.STODDARD. 

